Success Stories

Lieutenant Jessica Burris holds several accolades to her name. During her time in IUPUI’s ROTC program, she earned the Gold German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, was presented with the George C. Marshall Award (the highest award a cadet can receive), and held the position of Cadet Battalion Commander for the entirety of her senior year.

Involvement in an ROTC program can lead to many things—a highly-developed sense of leadership, a keen understanding of military operations, and a career. For cadet Ethan Cornwell, IUPUI’s ROTC program is preparing him for his chosen profession as an ER doctor.

Cadet Zachary Freeman, a junior studying criminal justice, stays focused on earning good grades after earning a three-year IUPUI Army ROTC scholarship. He competed with other qualified candidates for the campus-based scholarship program, which has strict qualification standards.

The Army ROTC’s Green to Gold program helped cadet Elijah Harter leave Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to finish his bachelor’s degree at IUPUI and work towards active duty commission. Using the post-9/11 GI bill to pay for his education, cadet Harter also earned the SerVaas scholarship in the Department of Military Science, which helps with personal expenses. ROTC has taught him the importance of focusing on his studies and staying in good physical shape—two areas in which the Army expects cadets to excel.

During his time in the ROTC program at IUPUI, 1st LT Siafa T. Massaley was preparing for a steadfast career in the military, one that has led him to his title of Infantry Officer and serving as a platoon leader during his deployment in Kuwait. The company’s mission is to be a Ready Reaction Force for CENTCOM, dedicated to the ability to deploy anywhere in the Middle East to supplement the fight or respond to emergencies.

Cadet Kari Parmeter was a junior in high school when she started applying for the Army ROTC Four-Year Scholarship program. Initiating the process early gave her plenty of time to complete all the steps, and the Army’s website made it easy to coordinate and track the details.

Earning the Simultaneous Membership Program scholarship for enlisted U.S. Army members enables Jesse Tapia-Aguilar to live in an apartment near the IUPUI campus, be financially independent, and help his family. Staying in close contact with campus ROTC program directors helped cadet Tapia-Aguilar learn about available opportunities.

Cadet Paxson Von Kerens has received plenty of real-world training through his time with IUPUI’s ROTC program. Set to graduate in May 2018, Von Kerens has benefited from a broad scope of military experience during his college career.